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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. chip — for betting
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rule — a law
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bank — of a river
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. rule — government
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. key — in music
  24. bark — a dog's sound

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com